Once Upon A Dream
by EvilQueenRegina
Summary: Regina gave birth to Daniel's child before marrying King Leopold. No one knew about it and she gave the baby away to Maleficent. The child grows and learns who her real mother is and decides she wants to meet her and make some kind of relationship with her. Will things work out? And what will happen when the curse is cast? Will everyone go to storybrooke?
1. Chapter 1

Regina made her way through the forest at a quick pace. The pain was getting worse with each step she took and she gripped onto each tree to keep herself up. A shot of pain rushed through her and she gripped onto her stomach. She stumbled to the ground and began to cry. She didn't know what to do. She was all alone. She rested against a tree and tried to breathe through the pain. The pain was beginning to get to much and she screamed out. Tears streamed down her face, she felt so much pain and pressure. She couldn't take it anymore and then suddenly it was over and she heard crying from beneath her dress.

She lifted her dress up a little and gasped as she saw the little baby lying on the ground. She took off her cape and wrapped the baby up and held the baby in her arms. As soon as she looked at the little girl she could immediately see her father. Regina sighed and let the tears flow down her cheeks. She felt a new kind of pain now, a pain in her heart. She knew she couldn't keep the baby. She was to be married to King Leopold and this little baby girl, this beautiful baby girl was not his.

No one knew about the baby. She had hidden it, with great difficulty for the whole nine months. She wasn't sure how she had done it, with a mother like she had it was a miracle she had managed it. She looked around her and then back down at the baby.

"Hello you." Regina said with a little smile. "You are a beautiful little girl." She watched as the baby cuddled into her and her heart broke just that little bit more. "I really wish I could keep you. I don't want to have to give you away. But I can't keep you. I can't put you in danger. My mother would kill you if she knew you existed. You wouldn't go with her plan for me. But don't worry my darling I will make sure you will be looked after." Regina sighed once again. She needed to find someone. Someone that would look after her baby. But who? And how could she find such a person without drawing much attention to herself.

"Hello dear..." A voice came from behind her, making her jump. She looked round seeing a tall woman with blonde curls and a dark elegant dress on. "Are you okay?"

Regina didn't say a word. She hid the baby a little and looked up at the woman. "I'm fine." She snapped back.

"Really? Something tells me having a baby in the woods wouldn't make you fine." The woman replied back.

Regina looked up at the woman. Had she seen the baby before she could hide it? She sighed and sat up a little. "Who are you?"

"I am Maleficent."

"Maleficent? I have never seen you around these parts." Regina said looking the woman up and down.

"I live in a castle on the other side of the Enchanted Forest."

Regina looked down at the baby who was beginning to get restless. She was becoming a little desperate. She needed to find somewhere for this baby and somehow get back to the castle and make sure her mother never found out what had happened. She looked to the woman above her wondering if she could trust her, but knowing she didn't have much choice. She needed help. "Could you help me?" Regina asked.

"What with my dear?"

"I need you to take my baby. I can't keep her. My mother wouldn't allow it and I fear that if she knows about her she will kill her. Take her and look after her."

The woman looked down at the baby in Regina's arms. She was not known for her nice side. She did not show love easily and she certainly was not one for looking after babies. "I don't know..."

"Please...I need your help. Please don't let my baby be killed."

Maleficent saw the desperation in Regina's eyes and for once she let the nice side of her come out. She nodded and Regina showed the relief on her face. Regina then tried to stand up, but stumbled a little, feeling to sore and tender.

"Here let me help dear." Maleficent said and with a flick of her hand Regina felt all the pain and tenderness leave from her body, as if nothing had happened.

Regina stood up and walked over to Maleficent. Regina looked down at the little girl in her arms and let a couple of tears fall down her cheeks. "I just want you to know my little darling that I love you and I will come for you one day. You will know me. I will be in your dreams. I will stay with you." She then placed the baby into Maleficent's waiting arms.

"Does she have a name?" Maleficent asked.

Regina looked at the baby and nodded. "Yes. Her name is Eleanor."


	2. Chapter 2

It was a couple of days later and it was the day of Regina and King Leopold's wedding. Regina was being fitted into her wedding dress and she stared into the mirror her hands placed on her stomach. The place where not only two days ago her little girl was. She felt like crying once more as she thought about her little Eleanor. She wanted her to be with her so badly but she feared what her mother might do if she found out about her. After all it would ruin her plans to make Regina queen. Regina sighed. This really wasn't her. She jumped slightly as she heard her mother, Cora speaking...

"Oh Regina smile will you. It's your wedding day."

Regina put a quick smile on her face and then let it disappear. What was she to be happy about? she was about to marry a man she did not love. Her true love had been taken from her and she had given her baby to some evil fairy. Life was definitely not going her way. She looked in the mirror and saw standing behind her was King Leopold's daughter. Snow White. With her hair as black as coal and her skin as white as snow she really was a pretty girl. However she was the one who had caused Regina's life to crash down before her eyes. She had caused Daniel's death. She was the reason that she had to give up her beautiful little baby.

"Oh Regina, you look lovely." Snow said breaking Regina out of her thoughts.

Regina looked away from the mirror and over to Snow. "You really think so?"

"Yes. My father will think so too. I know it!" Snow said excitedly.

Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes a little. She would get out of this mess. She would get rid of her mother. Get rid of King Leopold and she would destroy Snow White's happiness, if it was the last thing she would do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, hope you are enjoying my little fic. Here is the next instalment. Sorry the past 2 chapters have been a little short not had much time to write, work has been mega busy. Enjoy!**

The wedding was over. Regina was now alone in her bed chambers, lying on her bed and crying. She had defeated her mother, pushing her through the looking glass. She hoped that would be the end of her mother's ruling. She was now going to rule her own life. Yet even with that she couldn't help but feel sad that she would no longer have her mother around.

"Hello dear..." A voice came from the bottom of her bed and Regina sat up and looked over to where Maleficent stood.

"What are you doing here? Where is Eleanor?" Regina asked standing up from her bed.

"Don't worry, she is quite safe. I come bearing gifts. Call it a wedding gift." Maleficent said holding out a mirror.

"A gift? Why?"

"With this mirror you can see anyone who you desire to see. Your daughter perhaps. You can watch her grow without anyone else knowing." Maleficent explained.

"But why? Why are you giving this to me?" Regina asked.

"Well Regina I feel that we are not worlds apart you and I. We are more alike than you think." Maleficent said walking towards Regina.

"From what I hear I am nothing like you." Regina snapped back. She had heard many stories now of Maleficent and none were good stories. It made her think why she had left her baby with this woman.

"Just you wait my dear. You have already started your course of revenge..." Maleficent smirked. "Something tells me that you are not finished yet."

Regina didn't say a word. She had not finished her revenge yet. She had much more planned but time would tell when she would exact her revenge on certain people. She looked up at Maleficent. "How is Eleanor?"

"She is fine...doing well by all accounts." Maleficent answered.

Regina nodded. She didn't know when, but she knew one day she would get her daughter back. She just needed to make everything just right before she done that. Make sure that when she got her daughter back that she would have the perfect life she deserved.


	4. Chapter 4

_Nearly sixteen years later…_

A girl with long wavy dark brown hair walked through the forest carrying a basket. She was a beautiful girl by all accounts. She had big brown eyes and she was skinny yet had curves to her in all the right places. She hummed to herself as she walked through the forest. She didn't want to go back to the castle. She had known for a while now that the woman she lived with was not her mother and she knew exactly who was. The woman known as the Evil Queen. She had found this out while snooping around in the castle. Finding a letter she was not suppose to get until she was sixteen years old.

**My dear Eleanor,**

**I will understand if you hate me. If you don't want to see me. I will understand completely but please let me explain why you are not with me. **

**I gave you to Maleficent to save you from any hurt or danger. Your father had died and I was due to marry the king. It would have been too dangerous for me to keep you, I was afraid someone would hurt you. I knew that anyone I gave you to would be safer than you being with me. Just know that a day does not pass where I don't think of you and wish you were with me. I wish I could have seen you grow up. See every first. **

**I hope you will understand what I done and forgive me for it. Just know that I love you with all my heart.**

**Your Mother.**

She knew the letter off by heart by now having read it over and over again over the many years since she had found it. She had finally got up the courage to ask Maleficent about it and she had explained everything to her. She had never pretended to be her mother. If she was honest it hadn't been a bad life with Maleficent. She had treated her bad. But she couldn't help wanting to meet her mother. She had been planning if from the first moment she had read the letter. She would walk into the castle, meet her and they would hug. They would have a heart to heart and she would be treated like a princess. She could tell her mother everything.

She was not afraid like all the others. Surely she couldn't be that bad and even if she was there had to be reason for it. Right? She sighed as she saw the dark castle in front of her. She couldn't wait to get away from it.

It wouldn't be long. Tomorrow would be her sixteenth birthday and tomorrow would be the day she would leave to meet her mother.

Regina paced up and down in her bedchambers. Another plan to kill snow white had failed. She was running out of ideas. Plan after plan had failed. She couldn't understand why she couldn't kill her. Why she couldn't crush the little bug. She had turned to Rumpstiltskin and had agreed to his demands finally. She was to enact a curse. She benefitted of course. However she had one exception. The curse was to be enacted when she was ready. He had not been thrilled with this exception but had agreed to it, knowing she was his only chance for now.

She knew what say it was tomorrow. Knew that it was an important one. She had been waiting for the day for nigh on sixteen years and finally it was here. She turned an picked up the mirror from her dressing table. She uttered the name "Eleanor." And there she appeared in the mirror. Regina watched as the girl walked through the forest. She couldn't help but smile as she saw her. Her long wavy brown locks, her big brown eyes. She could tell right away that she was her daughter and she knew that she would come and find her.

Maleficent had told her that Eleanor had found the letter, earlier than anticipated. She had been waiting, wondering if Eleanor would come earlier than her sixteenth birthday but yet she had not arrived. It had worried her a little and she had been checking up on her daughter a lot more than she usually had done. She waved her hand over the mirror and the image of Eleanor disappeared. placing the mirror down Regina turned and walked over to the balcony. Looking out she wondered what would happen tomorrow. When would her daughter come? Would she hate her? Would they argue? Or would they rejoice in finally meeting for the first time since Eleanor was born. She hoped for the latter. She so wanted to have a relationship with her daughter. She wanted to be a mother, guide her, teach her, comfort her and love her. It's all she had ever wanted.

This curse would bring them their new start. They would finally have a new beginning. A happy new life with new memories. Life would be better. Life would be good.


	5. Chapter 5

Eleanor had packed a small bag, packing all the necessary things she would need. She looked around her room sighing. She had had a good life here she would never deny it. To look at Maleficent you would never think she had a soft side. A nice side. But she did. Although snappy and impatient she had shown Eleanor love over the years and couldn't thank her enough. But it was time for her to leave. To go and meet her real mother and have a relationship with her. She could feel the excitement bubbling in her tummy and she couldn't hide the smile from her lips. She had heard all the stories but in her dreams her mother was so different. Away from her guards and the people in the villages her mother was softer and loving. Her hard exterior down until the next morning. She had dreamt that her mother would care for her and guide her through the next few years of life. Share her wisdom. Let her in.

She picked up her bag and began to make her way out of her bedchambers. Maleficent was out which made it easier for Eleanor to leave. She left a note and walked from the castle quickly. Over the past few days Maleficent had not wanted her to leave the castle. Always wanting her to stay with her. Eleanor knew the reason. But it wasn't going to stop her from leaving. She needed to go. Running a little she made her way into the forest. Thinking about her life. Maleficent had given her anything she had wanted. She would magic up anything and everything. She had wanted for nothing, apart from her real mother. She had asked Maleficent if there was a way she could see her mother, be in contact with her but that was one thing Maleficent refused to give her.

It had hurt her. She had a little hatred for her because of that. Maleficent should have known she would never stay with her forever. She was sure her mother would have made that clear. She thought about one time. One time when she was very little. Perhaps only four or five. She had seen a woman in the castle Maleficent later claimed was an associate of some sort. She remembered the woman well. She looked grand. Elegant even.

_Eleanor hid behind the door peeking round ever so slightly. They rarely had visitors to the castle. Maleficent wasn't one to socialize. However she welcomed this woman in making sure Eleanor was out of the way. Eleanor watched as the woman glided over to the two chairs sitting in front of the roaring fire place. Her brown hair was tied up, her long black dress clung to her and parts glittered as the fire light caught her. Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked around. Eleanor was in awe with her._

_"So what can I do for you dear?" Maleficent asked sitting down and gesturing for the woman to sit opposite her. _

_"I need a favour. A bit of magic shall we say." The woman said. She took a seat, sitting very straight and tall. "I am in need of a way to get rid of…a problem shall we say."_

_"Who is it?" Maleficent smirked. She had had her fair share of 'problems'. _

_"Just a stupid girl who needs to learn a lesson." The woman replied. _

_Eleanor just stared at the woman. She couldn't help but feel connected to her in some way. She wanted to burst in and see who she was but she knew Maleficent wouldn't be happy with her if she done that. Maleficent had warned her not to come to her until she expressed it was okay to do so. She did not want to be disturbed while this woman was in and she did not want Eleanor to see her. But why?_

_The woman stood up from the chair and began to walk around the room. She looked impatient. "Can you help me or not?"_

_"I can." Maleficent said simply. "I can provide you with a sleeping curse. Put the curse into any object and the person will sleep for eternity. One snag true loves kiss breaks the spell. But if they do not have a true love there is no worries."_

_"True loves kiss…" She hissed. "It is always true loves kiss."_

_"Yes. It makes you sick." Maleficent replied. _

_The woman looked over towards the door. She could see a little figure standing at the door and her breath hitched. A little girl with long wavy brown hair and big brown eyes staring over at her. She knew exactly who that little girl was and she felt an ache. She saw the girl quickly move away but did not take her eyes away from the spot._

_"Do you want the curse?" Maleficent asked breaking through to Regina._

_"Yes." She muttered. She took her eyes away from the door and looked back over to Maleficent. "Yes I want the curse."_

Eleanor had thought about that day over and over again as the years past. She had asked Maleficent about the woman many times and when she found out about her real mother she had known the woman was her mother, even if Maleficent wouldn't say she was. As she pictured her again she could really see it. She sighed, feeling a little tired. Sitting on a fallen tree trunk she opened her bag and took out a little bit of food. She tried to think about how she would get into the castle. How she would get to see the queen.

She couldn't imagine the queens guards would know about her. And she couldn't imagine they would let her in freely. She needed to think of something. A plan of some sort. But what?


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, so here is the beginning of the meeting between Eleanor and Regina :-)**

Regina stared into the mirror that was sitting on her dressing table. Today was the day. Today was her daughters sixteenth birthday. She was mentally preparing herself for their meeting. Hoping it would go well. She had worked everything out in her head. Now she just needed to wait and see if things turned out that way. She stood up and walked over to the balcony. Looking out into her kingdom she smirked. She couldn't wait to get away from this place. Start anew. Leave all the bad memories behind. There were too many to hold onto.

Eleanor had reached the castle. She smiled as she looked at it. Taking in every part of her. Her mother really lived here. Her mother really was the queen. She couldn't believe it until she seen her. She marched over to the castle/ She had yet to figure out how she was going to get in. Walking around she saw a rope lying on the ground, a hook beside it. She smiled to herself as an idea popped into her head. She quickly walked over, grabbing the rope and the hook and ran over to a part of the castle wall that wasn't being watched. Tying the hook to the rope she flung it up. it caught onto the wall and she pulled on the rope a couple of times to make sure it was stable. She then began to climb.

As she reached the top and climbed over she had to stop to catch her breath. She looked around her. Seeing a door she decide to head for there and try and find her way to the queen. After a few moments she stood up and headed to the door. Opening it she peered in, seeing no one there she stepped into the castle. Walking around the castle she took every little part in. Although she had lived in a castle her whole life Maleficent's castle was nothing like this one. She peered round every corner and listened out carefully. The last thing she wanted was to be caught my guards and she had no doubt her mother would have plenty of guards around.

She peered round yet another corner and saw two women standing outside a room. "It's alright Cynthia I have tended to the queen. She wishes not to be disturbed." The other woman nodded and they both walked away. Eleanor smiled. There it was. The queens bedchambers. Her mother was in there right now, probably waiting for her. She sneaked round the corner. As she got closer and closer she began to get more and more nervous. She felt butterflies in her stomach making her a little nauseous.

It was finally going to happen. She was going to meet her mother. The woman she had dreamed of for many years. The woman who was going to give her a new start, a new life. It was finally happening. She got closer and closer and then she reached out just about to knock on the door…

When she felt a strong grip on her shoulder. She turned round and gasped as she saw in front of her a tall big guard. "I…I need to see the queen." She squeaked. She didn't know why she said that. She knew it wouldn't do any good.

Without saying a word her picked her up and began to haul her away from the door. Eleanor struggled with all her might. No. She wasn't going to let this happen. She wasn't going to get this close and not meet her mother. "No. Let go of me!" She screamed at the top of her voice. "No! I need to see the queen! She is expecting me!"

The guard laughed and continued to haul her away while she continued to scream at the top of her voice.

Regina had finally gotten rid of her lady's maid and sat back down in front of her mirror. She sighed. She took in her appearance and smiled. She turned slightly in her chair as she heard some kind of commotion coming from outside of her room. She could hear what sounded like a girl screaming and she knew right away who it would be. "Eleanor." She whispered and hurried from her seat. She pulled the door open and walked out seeing a guard carrying a girl away from her door.

"Stop!" She demanded making the girl and the guard look at her. "Put her down!" The guard done exactly what he was told. Not uttering a word. "Now leave us please." He didn't argue and he left quickly. Eleanor watched as the woman in front of her looked her up and down as if taking her in. She didn't say a word, not knowing what to say. The woman gestured for her to walk into her bedchambers. She did so and turned back round to look at the woman. "Eleanor?" The woman asked quietly. Eleanor gasped. She nodded her head. "It's really you?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Mother?"

Regina nodded in response and Eleanor ran over and wrapped her arms round her. She couldn't help it. She had been dreaming about doing it for so long.


	7. Chapter 7

Regina tensed up a little as Eleanor wrapped her arms round her. She hadn't been hugged in a long time. But as she looked down at the young girl and couldn't help but feel a rush of love and she suddenly just relaxed and wound her arms round her daughter. This made Eleanor smile and relax even more. They had both dreamed of this day and finally it was here. Regina pulled away from the hug and held Eleanor at arm's length. She wanted to look at her daughter. Take her in fully. She took in every detail, from her long dark brown hair to her brown eyes. Her slender nose, to her plump lips. She was skinny yet had all the curves in the right places. And all this made Regina smile as it seemed her daughter was a replica of herself.

Eleanor gave her a questioning look. She felt a little nervous as Regina looked her up and down. She wanted nothing more than her mother to be happy with her, she wanted to impress her mother in any way she could. Which was a dangerous feeling since her mother was the Evil Queen but she didn't care.

Regina caught Eleanor's questioning look. "Don't worry. I just wanted to take you all in. I had thought about how you would look many times but it's even better seeing it for real."

Eleanor smiled. "I feel the exact same way about you."

"We have much to talk about." Regina said turning, placing her hand on Eleanor's back and guiding her over to the bed. They both sat down, angled a little so that they faced one another. "I have many questions, as I am sure you do to." Eleanor nodded questions bubbling in her mind. "My first is what do you like to be called?"

Eleanor frowned a little. She wasn't really sure. She had never been giving a nickname. Maleficent had just always called her Eleanor and if she was honest she didn't like it. But she had always dreamed of her mother calling her something and she decided that would be it. "Well I have always been called Eleanor. No nicknames. But I always dreamt, while awake and sleeping, that you would call me Ellie. I don't know why."

Regina smiled as she said this. That would be exactly what she would have called her. "Well Ellie it shall be."

Eleanor's smile grew. "Now can I ask a question?" Regina nodded. "Everyone says you are the Evil Queen…Why?"

Regina had been expecting a question such as that but she hadn't thought it would be the first. She sighed. How did she explain this without scaring her daughter off. She did not want to lose her now she had just got her back. "I guess the rumours are true. I cannot run from that. I have done many evil things. But all for good reasons." That is how she saw it and that is how she would explain it.

"Good reasons?" Eleanor asked.

"Ellie you must understand that when the heart is broken it can make you do things you would never have thought you would do."

"And your heart was broken?"

Regina nodded. "It was and I wanted the person responsible to know how it felt to lose everything you loved and desired."

"And have they?"

"Not yet. But they will." Regina said her mind going to her plans. She would avenge her broken heart.

"How will they?" Eleanor asked.

Regina looked at Eleanor. If she was to be part of her plan she figured she should probably know about it. "Well I have a curse. A curse that will take us away from this place to another. Give us a new life, a better life. A new start."

Eleanor thought about this and the last words her mother had said rung in her mind. _A new start. _That was definitely what she wanted. She needed it. She wanted a life with her mother and by the sounds of it they would get everything they wanted and more. It would be perfect. A small smiled ran over her lips. Perhaps life was going to work out for her after all.

"Is there any way I can help?"

Regina smiled. Her daughter had accepted her and her invitation to a new life. Perhaps life was going to work out for her after all.

A few days had passed. Everything was coming into place. Regina had all the ingredients she needed to cast the curse. She and Eleanor were now stood where the curse would be cast. Eleanor watched as Regina opened a box and gasped as she saw a glowing red heart. She watched as Regina picked it up and threw it into the fire. Both standing back they watched as a black and green smoke rose up. Eleanor glanced over at Regina and saw she had a smile on her face.

"It worked?" Eleanor asked.

Regina nodded her head confirming it. Finally she had done it. The curse had been enacted. She turned to Eleanor. "Come we have a few people to see before we all disappear from this damn place."

Eleanor nodded and with a puff of purple smoke they were gone. Eleanor looked around as they reappeared somewhere else. She frowned as they were in a dungeon. "Why are we here mother?"

"Mother?" An excited shriek came from behind them. Eleanor whizzed round and gasped as she saw a sparkling gold man behind them. "You finally got your baby back then and all before the curse."

"Your curse has been enacted." Regina replied. She did not wish to discuss her daughter with this man.

He smiled and evil smile. He knew she was the one to cast his curse. "Well I am proud." A hint of sarcasm entering his voice. "You know you look strikingly like your mother." He said turning to Eleanor. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Don't talk to her Rumplestiltskin." Regina hissed.

Eleanor gasped. "Your Rumplestiltskin?" She had heard many stories of him.

"I am dearie." He said proudly. He then turned to Regina smirking a little. "So how did it feel?"

"To cast the curse? Like victory. I won." Regina gloated.

"No dearie…how did it feel to kill someone you loved." He asked.

"That doesn't matter. It was the price of the curse. It had to be done." Regina said as if she was trying to convince herself it was right to do it. "He would have understood."

"Of course dearie." Rumplestiltskin smirked.

"He would have." Eleanor piped up. "We won! We have taken our lives back."

Regina smile at her daughter. It did amaze her how alike they really were and how close they had become even in a few days.

"Oh so we both haven't thought about what could stop you?"

"What are you talking about?" Regina snapped.

"The saviour, Snow and Charming's bouncing baby. The one that could bring your world crashing back down."

"I'm not worried about her." Regina scoffed. "If I was do you really think I'd be here. Snow and Charming are sending her away. To keep her 'safe'. She will never break the curse."

"You sound very confident dearie."

"That's because I am." Regina smirked. "Now excuse us we have things to do." Regina took Eleanor's hand and with a purple puff of smoke they were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Regina and Eleanor appeared in a castle. Eleanor frowned as she looked around knowing it was not her mother castle they had appeared in. She looked over at her mother. "Mother where are we? Who's castle is this?" Eleanor asked.

"Well Ellie we are here to see the woman who destroyed my life." Regina looked over at Eleanor. "I want to be there to watch her lose everything."

Eleanor nodded. "Where shall we find her?" She smirked.

Regina returned her smirk. "Follow me." She couldn't believe how her daughter just seemed to fit into the whole thing. Her daughter did not question her at all. She followed her mother and that's how it would stay for now. They walked through the castle, Regina felt safe to do so knowing her dark knights were there fighting off all of Snow White and Prince Charming's guards.

They continued to walk up the castle corridors until they came to a room. Regina heard crying and she smiled. She knew whose crying that was. She entered the room. "Don't worry dear soon you won't even know who he is. It will be like you have never met." Regina laughed an evil laugh and Eleanor stood by watching her.

Snow White looked up and frowned as she saw the young girl beside Regina. A young girl who look unmistakably like Regina. But it couldn't be her daughter. As far as she knew Regina did not have a daughter. She then shook her head. Her focus should be one why Regina was here and what was about to happen. "Why are you doing this?" Snow asked the desperation and sadness dripping from her voice.

"Because dear…" Regina hissed. She leaned down closer so her face was inches away from her enemies. "This will be my happy ending. Our happy ending."

Snow looked from Regina to the young girl. She then looked down at her husband lying motionless on the ground. Regina laughed and looked up at the ceiling. Eleanor stood closer to her and looked up to. The ceiling began to crumble above them and a gush of wind and smoke flew into the room and Window's smashed around them. "Where are we going Regina?" Snow asked holding tightly onto her husband.

"Somewhere that will make your life a misery. A horrible place that you will suffer and I will finally be happy." Regina smirked. She finished and turned to Eleanor taking her hand she smiled at her. "Here's to our happy ending." Eleanor returned her smile and nodded and held onto her mother's hand tightly. She had no idea where they were going but she trusted her mother to take them somewhere that they would have their happy ending.

**Storybrooke 1983**

Regina's eyes flew opened. She glanced from side to side and then sat up. Where was she? She looked down. What was she wearing? She threw the covers off of her and moved her legs from the bed. Standing up she walked across the room her feet settling in the soft carpet. She stopped at the window and a smile spread across her lips as she looked out of her window. She saw a whole town. A whole town that she had invented. A whole place that was nothing like the Enchanted Forest. "I did it." She whispered. Her new life was about to start. She then gasped as she thought of one important person she wanted there to share it with her. "Eleanor." She whispered again. She turned quickly on her heel and walked quickly out of the room.

She turned to her right and walked down the corridor. It was as if her feet knew where to take her. "Eleanor!" She said loudly. She pushed a door open and smiled as she saw her daughter sprawled out on a bed sleeping. "Ellie." She sighed a sigh of relief. She had thought for a moment that Eleanor had been left or lost in the curse. She walked over the room to the side of Eleanor's bed. She sat down on the edge and shook her lightly. "Eleanor." She shook her again. "Eleanor wake up."

Eleanor groaned and stretched a little. She rubbed her eyes and looked over at her mother. She frowned and then shot up in the bed. She looked around the room she was in and then down at herself seeing she was wearing yellow pyjama bottoms and a white strappy pyjama top. She then looked back at her mother who now had short hair. A smile spread onto her face. "It worked." She said eventually.

Regina nodded. "It did."

Eleanor shot out of bed and over to the big window in her big room. She looked out onto the town that her mother had created the smile not leaving her face. "I can't believe it worked. It really worked!"

Regina walked over to Eleanor and placed her hands on her shoulders. "We have our new life Ellie. We have our new start. We are going to be very happy here."

Eleanor turned round and smiled at her. "I trust you mother." She then leaned forward and wrapped her arms round her mother's slender frame. Regina done the same and they shared one of many hugs they would share in their life time from now.


	9. Chapter 9

Regina and Eleanor had dressed, Regina in a black shift dress that reached just below her knees with black high heels and Eleanor in a black flowing skirt with purple and pink flowers on it that reached just above her knees, a plain black top and black flat shoes. They both looked in the mirror in each of their rooms smiling at their appearances. They couldn't believe how different they both looked.

Eleanor ran her fingers through her long dark brown hair that had a gentle curl at the end. She was glad that her long hair had stayed with her but the clothes were a big improvement. She nodded approving her appearance and walked out of her room. She walked down the corridor. She had yet to explore the house that they now lived it. It was not as big as a castle but it certainly was big. She stopped outside one room, her mother's room. She knocked on the door and waited for her mother's command to enter. It came and she walked into the room giving her mother a smile.

"So what are we going to do today?" Eleanor asked.

"Well I thought we should go and explore the town. See what we have created here." Regina smiled.

"I think that sounds wonderful." Eleanor said as she sat on the end of her mother's enormous bed. "This house it's lovely. Not quite like your castle back in the Enchanted Forest."

"No not quite like that." Regina replied.

"But this can be our castle."

"Exactly." Regina nodded. "Right shall we go?" Regina asked lifting up a trench coat from her wardrobe.

Eleanor nodded. She quickly grabbed a denim jacket from her room and a bag and found her mother downstairs. They walked out of the house and down the road a little. Eleanor looked around her in wonder. The world around them amazed her. "What do you think the people here will think of me? Who am I to them?" Eleanor asked.

"What do you mean?" Regina frowned.

"Well back in the Enchanted Forest nobody knew that I was your daughter but Maleficent. So who will they see me as?"

"Here everyone sees you as Eleanor Mills, my daughter." Regina replied. She stopped making Eleanor stop and look at her mother. Regina took Eleanor's hands in hers. "I promised you a better life. A new start. And this…" Regina said motioning to what was around them. "Is it. I added to the curse. To this world. I added to everyone's new memories. Everyone in this town will see you as my daughter. The way you were meant to be seen."

Eleanor smiled at Regina. Her words struck her and she could feel tears in her eyes that she tried so hard to hold back. "I love you mom." Eleanor said and wrapped her arms round her.

Regina was a little taken aback. That was the first time Eleanor had told her that she loved her. She felt her heart swell. "I love you to Ellie."

They walked through the town of Storybrooke both smiling. Everything seemed perfect. As they passed people said morning to them in the usual polite way. Dr Hopper walked past with his dog Pongo. He bowed his head a little. "Good morning Mayor Mills. Eleanor." He smiled.

"Oh please Dr Hopper Ellie is fine." She smiled in reply. "You know this place isn't too bad mom. A little quiet."

"Yes it is very quiet." Regina frowned as she looked around. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to how quiet it was. She was so used to the hustle and bustle of the Enchanted Forest.

As the days went on Regina began to find that perhaps her new town wasn't what she thought it would be. The quietness got to her. The repetitiveness got to her. Every day was the same in and out. She was beginning to feel as if she was going mad and it was only four days. She sat at her desk in her office and held her head in her hands. There was something else she needed. But what? What else could she need?

She had everything. The perfect life. Her daughter. No one in her way. But it didn't feel like it was enough. Why was it never enough. She jumped as Eleanor entered the room.

"Hey mom." She said happily. She sat in a chair opposite her desk. Seeing her mom with her head in her hands her smile left her face. "You okay?"

"Yes yes I'm fine." Regina sighed.

"Are you sure?" Eleanor asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'm fine honestly. How was school?" She asked. She still felt it weird to be a mother. But somehow she had fallen into it well.

Eleanor shrugged. "Not sure if I like it if I am honest."

Regina laughed a little. She leaned back in her chair. "I'm not sure you are suppose to."

They both sat in Regina's office talking for a while Both semi-content with their new lives. However Regina would soon find out exactly what was missing from her new life. It wouldn't be in a matter of days, or weeks or months but in a matter of years and it would hit her, and hit her hard.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys, Here is my next chapter. I think I worked out all the dates right for this next chapter. I hope you all are still enjoying.**

**Storybrooke 2001**

Years had passed and many things had happened or not happened in most cases in this town. Recently strangers had entered the town of Storybrooke, a boy and his father. Regina had taken them in. Introduced them to Ellie. She had a soft spot for children and this boy was no different. Things had been going well but of course as always something went wrong, hideously wrong. Regina shook her head as she tried to get rid of her latest memories.

Ever since that little boy appeared in Storybrooke it had finally come to her exactly what she had been missing all those years. She had missed Ellie growing up and that killed her. She hated that she didn't see her first steps. Hear her first word. So she made her decision. She wanted a baby and she would get a baby.

She had been looking through adoption agencies for days and she had spent most of the morning talking to the agencies receiving an answer she was not happy about. The waiting lists were too long. She couldn't wait up to two years for a baby. She wanted one now. She stood up and turned round looking out the window of her office. She knew exactly what she needed to do and who she needed to see. She grabbed her coat and bag and turned on her heel quickly leaving her office. She marched down the street like a woman on a mission.

Pushing a door open she stepped into a shop and marched up to the man that would be able to help her. "Gold I need a child and I need your help in getting one." Regina said getting straight to the point.

"Well Regina I am flattered but I have to say I can't say I am up for it." He replied sarcastically adding a smirk on the end.

Regina rolled her eyes. She was not in the mood for his games. "Not like that." She sighed. She explained to him what she had been doing for days and all morning. She knew he would be able to get a child for her a lot quicker than some agency could. She didn't know how he would do it but she knew he would do it.

"So you want to adopt? A baby?" He asked.

"No need for the surprised tone."

"No surprise in my voice I can assure you." He replied.

"Can you help me?" Regina asked firmly. She wanted an answer and she wanted one now.

"Well of course I can. And your sure you want this?" He asked.

"I need this." She replied simply.

"And your daughter?"

"She will be happy about it."

"Your sure about that?"

"Yes." She said through gritted teeth. She was beginning to get annoyed with him.

"I will get you a baby." He said.

Regina nodded and turned on her heel. "I will expect to hear from you soon. She said and she quickly excited the shop. Regina glanced down at her watch seeing what time it was she knew Eleanor would be at home. She quickly made her way back home to talk to her. She knew should be okay with it. She was an easy going child. She entered the house. "Ellie? Ellie are you home?" With the curse no one had aged. Everyone stayed in the same boring life meaning Eleanor was still a sixteen year old girl and had been reliving school over and over again. She was beginning to get sick of it.

"In here mom." Ellie shouted from the sitting room.

Regina placed her coat on the coat stand and placed her bag on the floor. She then walked through to the sitting room and over to the couch where Ellie sat reading a magazine. She sat down. "Ellie we need to talk about something."

Ellie put the magazine down and looked over at her mother. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No nothing's wrong. Well…not really."

"Not really?" Ellie asked raising a question eyebrow.

"Ellie I have finally discovered what has been missing over all these years."

"What?"

"A baby Ellie. We need to have a baby around the house. Another child for me and a little brother or sister for you. Someone else we can care for. Someone else to look after." Regina said.

Ellie knew exactly why all this was coming up and she wasn't so sure. After what had happened with the other boy and his father was getting a baby such a good idea. "Is this all coming about because of that little boy?"

"Well yes…sort of…but the feeling has always been there Ellie. It's something I have always wanted. Ever since I had to give you to Maleficent. I missed everything with you growing up. I didn't get to see any of it. But this time I could and you could to. It would be great Ellie."

Ellie watched her mother's eyes light up as she talked about a baby. She could see just how much her mother wanted a baby and she wasn't sure she wanted to be the one to stand in her mother's way. She ran her fingers through her long wavy dark brown hair and sighed. "If it's what you really want mom then I am okay with it. As long as you think everything will be okay."

"Oh it will Ellie you will see. Everything is going to work out perfectly." Regina said with a big smile on her face.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina marched down the road and shoved her way into Gold's shop. She had wasted no time in making her way to Gold's shop as soon as he had phoned her. She was desperate to hear whatever news he had on her baby situation. "You have news?" Regina asked moving quickly over to the counter in the shop.

"Yes. It seems fate may be on your side." He breathed out. "This morning I spoke to an agency. They had just placed a baby boy from Phoenix with a family in Boston which is nearby."

"Well if the baby is with a family how does that help me?" Regina asked.

Because the adoption fell through at the last minute. It happens sometimes." Gold said with a smirk.

Regina gave an evil sort of smile. "So they are still looking for a family to take the baby in?"

Gold nodded. "Like I said fate seems to be on your side. The agency in Boston would like to see you. I took the liberty of confirming an appointment for you. Tomorrow at nine o'clock." He said handing over an envelope to her.

She smiled as she took the envelope from him. She was going to get what she wanted. She was going to get her baby.

Regina sat in the adoption agency with Ellie by her side. She thought it probably a good idea to have Ellie with her so the agency could see how happy they were. She had gone over a few things with one of the agency workers and had been told that the kind of adoption the baby was in was called a closed adoption meaning the mother wanted no contact with the child at all which Regina thought was perfect. They were both now just waiting to meet the little boy they were about to introduce into their family.

"Are you excited to be getting a little brother Eleanor?" The man asked making small talk with them.

"Oh yes. I'm sure it's going to be great." Ellie smiled.

Regina turned her head a little and caught the sight of a woman walking into the room holding a perfect looking little baby boy. She gasped as the woman walked over to her and leaned down with the baby placing the baby boy in Regina's arms. Regina smiled and looked down at the baby. It really was fate.

Ellie leaned over and looked down at the little boy and smiled. "He's perfect." She whispered. Regina nodded. "What are we going to call him?" Ellie asked.

Regina looked down at the little boy. As soon as she laid eyes on him she knew exactly what she wanted to call him. There was no other choice in her mind. "Henry." Regina said quietly but loud enough for the others in the room to hear her.

"Henry?" The man asked. "You don't hear a lot of the name Henry these days."

"It was my father's name." Regina said not taking her eyes off the little boy.

"It's a great name for him mom. It fits perfectly with him." Ellie said placing her hand on Regina's shoulder. Regina glanced over at Ellie and smiled. Ellie then leaned down a little more to look at Henry. "Come on then Henry. Let's go home." She said.

The first few weeks back at home with Henry were not easy. The sleepless nights had already taken their toll on both Regina and Ellie and both had been trying to figure out exactly what to do with a baby. Regina had read just about every parenting book she could get her hands on and had tried to stick to what each book said but over the weeks they had given up on everything and just went with what seemed to feel right.

Whenever they went out passersby would always stop to look at Henry in his pram and Regina and Ellie proudly showed him off.

It was a Saturday and Regina had had to go to her office for a bit to catch up on some things leaving Ellie to babysit Henry. Ellie had fed and changed Henry and had put him down for a sleep feeling proud that she had managed all that without a bother. However as soon as she went to sit down on the couch Henry began to cry. Ellie sighed and stood back up making her way up the stairs and over Henry's room. She walked over to the cot and leaned down lifting him up and rocking him in her arms. She smiled down at him as he stopped crying and cuddled into her.

"Hey little bro. Try make things a bit easier for mom eh? She really loves you and is trying as hard as she can to make everything perfect. She may have her flaws but she loves you very much."Ellie said softly. "Would you like to hear a story Henry?" Henry gurgled a little and Ellie giggled "I will take that as a yes." She sat down on a chair in the room and leaned back getting herself comfortable. "Once upon a time there was a queen. Although many people said she was evil there was one girl who knew the rumours were just exactly that rumours. You see the queen wanted people to think she was evil to hide away who she really was inside. The one girl who saw right through those rumours was the queens only daughter. They had never met, forces holding them away from one another. But on the girls sixteenth birthday she ran away to meet the queen, her mother." Ellie took a breath. She hadn't thought about any of this for a long time. "When the girl and the queen finally met one another they acted as if they had known one another their whole lives. As if they had never been separated. And together they cast a glorious curse that gave them everything they could ever want. A new start. However there was always something miss for the queen. Something she had had to give up so long ago and something she so desperately craved. A baby. It was then that she searched the land and finally found a little boy. A perfect little boy. And this little boy was to be her prince. And she found him. This made the queen so happy and she felt her life may perhaps finally be complete with her little prince in her life."

"Not to forget her princess who had helped her gain her little prince and look after him." Regina said making Ellie jump a little as she didn't realise her mother was home.

"How long have you been there?" Ellie asked.

"Since the beginning of your story." Regina smiled as she walked into the room. "And what a wonderful story it was."

Ellie smiled. She stood up and walked towards her mother a little and handed Henry over to her. She watched her mother's eyes light up as Henry was in her arms. Finally they were going to live happily ever after. Well so they thought.

**So guys I am away on holiday for 2 weeks so this shall be the last chapter until I get back. I will try and get another chapter up sharpish when I get back. In the mean time I hope you are still enjoying this fic and would love some reviews to hear what you are thinking and what you think might happen next. :-)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Well that's me back from my holiday, sorry you had to wait so long for the next chapter but here it is. I kind of focused this chapter into more like the show using the show as a guide more or less. Let me know what you think. Enjoy! :)**

_10 years later…_

Henry was gone. He had not returned from school like normal. They had searched everywhere. All over the town. He was nowhere to be seen. The time had come and they had phoned the Sheriff. They were now all sat in the sitting room trying to work out where Henry would go. What he would be doing. Regina was pacing up and down in the living room. Sheriff Graham was sat on the sofa and Ellie was stood in the doorway.

"So when was the last time you seen Henry?" Graham asked.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I already told you Sheriff. When I dropped him off at school."

"Mom." Ellie said giving her mom a look to try and get her to calm down. When it came to Henry Ellie knew her mother could lose her feelings. Lose her control. "The Sheriff is trying to help us. My mother and I both dropped him at school and then went to her office Sheriff. Like we do every morning. That is the last we both seen of him. We have searched everywhere."

Sheriff Graham nodded. "And there is absolutely nowhere else you can think of that he might be?"

Ellie shook her head. "We checked everywhere we could think, I asked around. We have no idea where he has got to. This isn't like him. He has never done anything like this before."

"Did you have any arguments? A reason for him to run away?" The Sheriff asked.

"He has not run away." Regina snapped.

Ellie sighed. "He's been a bit off recently. But no reason for him to run away. He wouldn't do something like that."

"Of course he wouldn't." Regina said. She turned away from the window. Things had been hard recently. Her darling little boy had not been the same. He had changed. Everything had changed. Ever since he got his hands on a damn book things had changed. The damn fairytale book that Regina hated. His teacher Mary-Margaret. She was the one responsible for all of this. _How did I know Snow White would still manage to ruin things for me? Even in this world!_Regina ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair. He had seemed to turn against her. He had it in his head that the fairytales were all real. They were all characters from it. She had no idea how he could see it. Why could he see through all the disguises she had so careful picked out? How could he see it all?

Of course he could see right through hers straight away. She was the Evil Queen. He had told her that. She could see the change in him. How he looked at her. It wasn't with the same love a son should have for his mother. It killed her seeing it but she buried those feelings down. She had tried to tell him he was imagining it all. Fairytales weren't real. It was all in his head. But that just seemed to make it all worse. She looked over at Ellie. He had not seen her as evil. He had not changed towards her. And although she knew it was wrong she could not help the jealous feeling that rose in her as she thought of that.

"What do we do Sheriff?" Ellie said breaking into Regina's thoughts. "How do we find Henry?"

"Well I say we wait for a few more hours. See if he comes back. He might just be wandering around. Perhaps needs some air. If he is not back in a few hours we get a search party together and search the town again. All the places you think he might be and then where we don't know he will be."

"A few hours? In a few hours he could be…" Regina stopped herself before she said it. She couldn't bring herself to say it. She couldn't bring herself to think the worst had happened to her son. No. It couldn't have. She then turned to look out the window once more. She frowned as she saw a car pull up outside the house. A bright yellow car. She watched as a tall Blonde woman got out of the car and then gasped as she saw Henry get out of the car. She quickly turned on her heel and began to make her way to the front door.

"Mom?" Ellie said frowning. "Mom what is it?" She asked following Regina to the front door.

Sheriff Graham followed the two women. Regina flung the door open and ran out of the house. "Oh Henry." She said as she leaned down and wrapped her arms around the boy. He tensed as she done this and didn't move. She then pulled away slightly and held his face in her hands. "I was so worried. Where have you been?" Regina asked she glanced up at the blonde woman and then back at Henry.

Henry pulled away completely from Regina. "I found my real mom." He said as he pushed past her and ran into the house past Sheriff Graham and past Ellie. They all looked over at the blonde woman who stood awkwardly on the path.

"You…Your Henry's birth mother?" Regina asked. She was shocked. She did not expect this to happen. Ellie stepped out of the house and over to where Regina stood.

"Hi…" The woman said. She had no idea what to say.

"I'm just going to go and check on Henry." Ellie said placing a hand on her mother's arm. Regina nodded and Ellie turned and went back into the house.

Regina stood rooted to the spot just staring at Emma. She thought his birth mother would never turn up. It was a closed adoption. She wanted nothing to do with the baby. "Would you like to come in for a drink?" Regina asked. She needed to know why Henry was with her. What was going on.

"Okay." She replied. Regina turned on her heel and marched quickly back into the house the woman quick on her heels. She took the woman into her study and grabbed a bottle pouring the liquid into a glass and handing one to the woman. She gestured for her to sit down and she sat in a chair opposite. She didn't take her eyes off the woman. She was not what she expected.

"So do you know how he found me?" She asked.

Regina shook her head. "I don't have any idea. He was only three weeks old when I adopted him. I was told the birth mother wanted no contact whatsoever." The woman nodded and took a sip of her drink. "So your name?"

"Emma."

Regina nodded. "Well do I need to be worried Emma?"

"Absolutely not." Emma replied.

"Good." Regina took another sip of her drink. "Well I'm sorry that he turned up at your door. I'm sure you have your own life to be getting on with."

"It's alright. The kid seems to be…having a bit of a rough time…I guess. I don't really know him." Emma shrugged.

"Yes. Well you have to understand being mayor and being a single mother it's hard to balance things. I have two jobs shall we say. I am strict with him I guess but it is for his own good." Regina explained.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me." Emma said sitting up a little in the chair.

"You don't think that makes me evil?" Regina pressed.

"I think he is only saying things like that because of the fairy tale thing. You know the book he has…" Emma took another sip of her drink.

"Yes he is very attached to that." Regina sighed.

"I'm sure it's just a phase. I don't know if it's normal with a kid to think everyone in the town is from a whole load of fairy tale stories but these things are usually just phases right?" Emma gave a little smile. "But like I said I don't really know the kid. It's none of my business. He's yours after all." Emma downed the rest of her drink and then stood up. "I should really be going."

"Of course." Regina said standing up. She walked towards the door of the study and opened it. Emma walked out and then Regina showed her over to the door. "Well drive safe Emma." Regina said giving her a little smile.

Emma nodded and walked out of the house. Regina closed the door and leaned against it. She hoped Emma was going to go back where she came from. She did not want her to stay. She couldn't stay. She could already feel her relationship with Henry slipping away as each day passed.


	13. Chapter 13

While Regina had been downstairs talking to Emma, Ellie had went up to see Henry. She sighed as she reached his room. Things with Henry were beginning to get harder and harder. He was adamant that their mother was the evil queen, of course she was but they wouldn't tell him that. But they were beginning to find it harder to handle the whole situation. Ellie sighed once again and knocked on Henry's bedroom door. She then opened it and peered round seeing Henry lying on his bed reading his fairytale book. Ellie rolled her eyes but then put a smile on her face.

"Can I come in?" Ellie asked. Henry merely nodded his head not saying a word. Ellie stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She walked over to his bed. "May I?" She asked motioning to the edge of the bed.

"Knock yourself out." Henry muttered.

Ellie nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed next to Henry's legs. She sighed and ran her fingers through her long dark brown hair. Looking over at Henry she watched as his eyes scanned the book in front of him. "You know mom was really worried about you. She was going mad with not knowing where you were."

"I doubt that." Henry muttered again.

"Henry come on! She really was worried. You should know that she loves you." Ellie sighed.

"She can't love me. She's the evil queen."

"Don't be silly." Ellie replied. "Of course she's not. I think you have had your head stuck in that fairy tale book for too long."

"No look…" Henry said sitting up. He shuffled round and placed the book on Ellie's lap. "There she is the evil queen. She looks just like mom." He then turned a page. "And look there is Snow White. Looks just like Miss Blanchard. And this one…" Henry said turning the page again. "Looks like you…don't you think?" He looked up at Ellie waiting for her to respond.

She couldn't deny the pictures really did look like them all. She couldn't believe how good the pictures actually were. No wonder he was on to them. She looked down at Henry. She really did love her little brother and she hated how confused and alone her felt. She closed the book and gave it to him. "I won't deny we all do look a little like the pictures you just showed me but…Henry fairytales aren't real. This is real life. The here and now and well…with all your evil queen talk…it's hurting mom. She really loves you. Can't you just try and be nice to her?"

"I don't know. I can't trust her if she is the evil queen. Anyway I have brought Emma here. She is the saviour, she's going to save us all from the evil queens curse."

"How is Emma going to save us all?" Ellie asked out of curiosity.

"I'm not really sure of that yet. I haven't worked that part out. All I know is that she is the one to break the curse. That's what the book says." Henry said.

"Really?" Ellie nodded her head. "So is Emma going to stick around?"

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I hope so."

"You hope so? You want to spend some time with her?" Ellie asked.

"I guess. It might be nice to spend some time with my real mom. Find out what she's really like. If I'm anything like her. But I don't think mom will let me." Henry looked down at her lap with a sad look on his face. Seeing him like this made Ellie feel really sorry for him. She remembered what it was like to wish she could spend time with her mother. Find out everything about her and if she was anything like her.

"Well…I suppose I could try help you out…to see your mom like…" Ellie started.

"Really?" Henry asked her with a big smile on his face.

"Yea…but you have to promise me one thing Henry."

"Okay…whatever you want."

"If I help you, you have to try and get on with mom. Be nice to her. Also don't tell her I am going to help you out. I'd hate to think what her reaction would be." Ellie said running her fingers through her hair again.

"That's two promises…but I suppose I can promise to do them both." Henry said nodding his hand. He stood up standing in front of Ellie. He held out his pinkie. Ellie smiled at him and wrapped her pinkie round his. "Pinkie promised."

"Pinkie promised."

A few days had passed and much to Regina's annoyance Emma had stuck around in Storybrooke. Regina felt as if she was invading her life. Hanging around Henry, stealing her son away from her. She hated her for it. This was definitely not in her grand plan. She sat in her office trying to figure out her next move to try and get rid of Emma.

While Regina was doing this Emma and Henry were out walking around Storybrooke. Henry was showing Emma around and trying to find out everything he could about her. Emma had to admit she was already growing attached to the boy. She didn't think she would feel this way about the young boy. She shook her head as Henry pulled on her jacket sleeve.

"Are you listening to me?" He asked.

"Course kid." Emma replied.

"Okay what did I just say then?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

Emma shrugged. "Okay I don't know that one." She sighed. "Sorry, continue." Henry began to talk about. He then gasped and grabbed Emma's arm pulling her over and hiding behind a parked car. "Wha…what the hell is going on?" Emma asked.

"Look it's my sister, Ellie." Henry said pointing.

Emma looked over to ,Henry was pointing. She could see a tall, skinny young girl with long dark brown hair and she was stood with a young man who had sandy short blonde hair. Arms wrapped around one another you could tell they were definitely not just friends. "So? I thought you got on with your sister."

"I do but I didn't know she had a new friend." Henry frowned.

"I don't think he is just a friend kid." Emma laughed a little. "Looks much more than that."

"What you mean like a boyfriend?" Henry asked.

They both looked over and saw that Ellie and the boy were now kissing. Henry frowned and Emma laughed. "Oh yea I think just like a boyfriend."

"Eww."

"Henry there is nothing wrong with your sister having a boyfriend."

"Try telling my mom that. Wait until she finds out Ellie has a boyfriend." Henry said.

"Will she not take it well?" Emma asked.

"You've met my mom haven't you?" Henry said sarcastically. "Of course she won't take it well. Especially since he is one of Robin Hood's merry men." Henry said as if it was an everyday thing. He then stood up and walked away.

Emma frowned and then stood up following Henry. "Wait did you just say Robin Hood's merry men?"

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if it seems I am taking ages with updating this but seems to take me a while to write these last few chapters. I am adding a new character in. In the name of Ellie's boyfriend. Which will soon lead to other things with Regina and perhaps a spark of love for her ;) As per love hearing what you have to say, so let me know :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Ellie walked into the house with a huge smile on her face that she just could not wipe off. She placed her bag on the floor by the coat stand and slipped off her coat. She then jumped as she heard a voice behind her.

"So who's the guy?" Henry asked jumping down from the last step.

"What? I have no idea what you are talking about." Ellie said.

"Oh come off it. I seen you in town today when I was with Emma. You were kissing a guy. Pretty stupid place to do it if you ask me. Especially if you don't want mom to find out." Henry said.

Ellie looked around her. She could hear their mom pottering around in the kitchen she sighed and then grabbed Henry's arm and pulling him over to their mother's study. She closed the door and looked at him. "Listen I don't want you to say a word to mom alright. Not a single word."

"Well if you don't want her to find out then you need to find a better place to meet him. Who is he anyway? I'm sure he's one of the merry men right? Works with Robin Hood."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "His name is James and he's not a merry men but he does work with a man called Robin." Ellie sighed and ran her fingers through her long brown hair. "We have been friends for a while but things got closer. I just haven't told mom about him yet."

"Yea and we all know why. She will go mad." Henry said.

"No I'm sure she will be fine about it. I'm just not ready to tell her yet." Ellie replied.

"Yea okay then." Henry said sarcastically. "We all know she won't take it well."

"Henry she isn't that bad. You paint her as some evil queen but she really isn't. Just misunderstood. Anyway you said you were going to try get along with her if I helped you out to see Emma." Ellie said.

"I am trying to get along with her." Henry huffed. "I'll keep your secret about James, if you keep mine about Emma." He said sticking out his pinkie.

"Fine." Ellie said wrapping her pinkie around Henry's.

They both jumped as the door to the study opened and their mother walked into the room. "Ellie? Henry? What are you doing in here?"

"Oh nothing, just talking that's all." Ellie said quickly.

Regina frowned but shook off the weirdness of her two children. "Well dinner is ready. Come on." Regina said motioning for them both to leave the room. They both did and she closed the door following them into the dining room.

A little while after dinner Ellie had excused herself telling Regina she was going out to meet some friends. However she was really going out to meet James. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She hated lying to her mother. She so badly wanted to tell her the truth but she had a funny feeling she might not like the fact she had a boyfriend. She took one last look behind her, towards the big mansion and then turned round running into the forest.

She could see through a gap in some of the trees, James leaning against a tree trunk his arms folded across his chest and he was looking up at the stars. She felt her heart flutter as she saw him. He always made her feel that way and she didnt think that would ever change. She stopped for a minute and looked down at her dress. Smoothing it out a little. She then ran her fingers through her hair trying to make sure it was all tidy. She smiled to herself and then began to walk towards him, cough to announce her presence.

"Ellie…" James breathed giving her his boyish smile that she had just completely fallen in love with. He held his arms out and she immediately fell into him holding on to him tightly. She breathed in his scent and her smile grew a little more. "I wasn't sure if you were going to come."

"I know I'm sorry. Dinner ran a little later than I had expected." She said pulling out of his embrace. She looked up into his big green eyes. "My brother knows about us."

"What? How?" James asked.

"He seen us earlier on today. We were in a public place after all. A fault on my part." Ellie sighed. "But after knowing he knows and really thinking about it…I think I need to tell my mother about us."

"Really?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure that's a conversation that will go well."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Well we can't hide our relationship forever can we? And if you really love me then you would be supporting me through this. But then I guess I know how you feel." Ellie went to walk away but he grabbed her wrist pulling her back towards him. He crashed his lips down onto hers. She groaned into the kiss and moved her arms to they hung on his shoulders and her hands clasped together behind his neck. His arms wound their way around her waist pulling her ever closer to him.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "You should know by now Ellie that I love you more than anything in the world. I know we can't hide our relationship forever. I just…I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me…"

"Really? Do you not think your mother will try and split us up?" James asked.

"Even if she does, it doesn't mean I will let her. James you don't understand my mother. Nobody does. Nobody knows the pain she has gone through. There is a reason she appears do hard, sometimes cold. Please don't judge her like everyone else."

James sighed and he placed his hand on Ellie's soft cheek. "Why won't you tell me about her?"

"Because it is not my place to reveal my mother's painful past. She doesn't like people to know about it. It's a touchy subject James." Ellie replied.

James nodded his head. "Do you want me to come and tell her with you?"

"I think not." Ellie said. "I think it would probably be best if I told her on my own. Just to gauge her reaction to us. I know how to handle my mother, calm her down you know. If you are there to it might make things worse. You know I'm sure she will love you when she gets used to the whole idea."

"And how long do you think that would take?" James asked.

"I could not possibly put a time frame on that." Ellie laughed. James laughed to and then his lips connected back with Ellie's.

She would tell her mother about them. She would do it. She just needed to work up the courage. She just needed to get it over and done with. She needed to tell her mother the truth.


	15. Chapter 15

Ellie had spent a week trying to work up the courage to talk to Regina and tell her about James. Every time she seems to start to tell her she would either decide it wasn't the time or they would get interrupted. However she decided tonight was the night. Tonight she would tell her. She needed to. She wanted to. She didn't want to have to hide her relationship with James anymore.

She walked into the house and could hear Regina rustling around in the kitchen. She placed her bag on the floor by the coat stand and began to walk towards the kitchen. Stopping at the doorway she watched as her mother ran around preparing dinner and then look to the side to see Henry sat at the table doing his homework. She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen.

Regina turned round and gave her a big smile. "Hey Ellie. You're a bit late are you not?" Regina asked looking down at her watch.

"Yea…I had to do something." Ellie replied. "Mom can we talk?"

Regina and Henry both looked up at Ellie. Ellie glanced round at Henry and motioned with her head for him to leave them alone for a bit. He nodded and got up, quickly exiting the room but standing just to the side of the doorway so he could listen in on what was being said. Ellie sighed and looked back round at Regina who had a questioning look on her face.

"Okay…" Ellie started trying to form the words in her head. "Okay mom I have been trying to tell you this for the longest time…but every time I wanted to tell you it never seemed right or we got interrupted and I just was never sure how you would react to it."

"Right…" Regina said slowly narrowing her eyes a little. What on earth could Ellie have to tell her?

"You see mom…You see I have been…" Ellie stopped and started her sentences trying to figure out how best to tell Regina. Surely she wouldn't react that badly. "You see mom for the past couple of months or so I have been…" Ellie looked up into Regina's eyes and bit her lip a little.

"Oh for goodness sake Ellie just tell me. Whatever it is it can't be that bad." Regina said a little frustrated.

"I have been seeing a guy called James." Ellie said quickly.

There was silence. Regina just looked at Ellie. She nodded her head and then ran her fingers through her hair. "Okay…so where did you meet this James?"

"Well…I was out walking, in the forest and I bumped into him there…you see he has a camp out there with a few…"

But before Ellie could finish Regina butted in. "He lives in the forest? He's one of them?" Regina asked astonished.

"Yes." Ellie said slowly. "But he's great mom honestly. She would really like him if you met him."

"Ellie you cannot be with someone like that!" Regina snapped.

"What? Why mom? There is nothing wrong with James."

"Ellie you just can't!"

"Well I'm sorry mother but you can't stop me." Ellie said and she turned on her heel and was just about to walk out of the room when Regina lunged forward grabbing her wrist before she could leave and pulling her back round slightly.

"Ellie I said you can't and that's final. You are not to see him again, do you hear me?" Regina said firmly.

"No mother, I don't hear you. I am not going to stop seeing James. It doesn't matter what you say or do. I love him!" Ellie shouted. She then pulled her wrist from Regina's and ran out of the room.

Regina stared after her daughter and jumped a little as she heard the front door slam shut. She sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter. When did her daughter get so grown up? When did she start wanting to be around boys? She had been so consumed with everything else around her she hadn't even noticed how grown up Ellie had gotten. She hadn't even noticed any changes in her. She pushed herself up from the counter and decided to go after Ellie. She needed to get her back. To make her see sense. She couldn't go out with that boy.

She marched out of the room and was about to shout on Henry when he jumped out from a corner of the room giving her a fright. She presumed he had been listening in on everything. "Henry I need to go out. I want you to get ready for bed. I don't want to see you up and about when I get back. Do you hear me?"

"Can't I come look for Ellie?" Henry asked.

"No Henry. Do as I say please." Regina said.

"Yes mom." Henry mumbled.

"That's a good boy." Regina said giving him a smile. She placed a light kiss on his head and picked up her bag and keys. "Not straight up to bed Henry."

Regina had walked through nearly the whole town trying to find Ellie but had had no luck. She had looked in granny's. in her office, she had even looked in the park but Ellie was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and tried to think where on earth Ellie would disappear to. She looked around her and her eyes landed on the opening to the forest and it was then that it hit her.

"Of course, she will have gone to him." Regina said to herself.

So Regina made her way through the forest looking around her for any light. She presumed the camp this boy was staying in would have some sort of light, a fire of some kind. It had seemed to had been walking for hours when she finally saw a light in between some far away trees. She quickened her pace a little and could hear the mutterings of voices. She then jumped as she saw an arrow shooting towards her way. She caught it just before it was about to hit her head. A stern look on her face she tried to look for the shooter about to give them a piece of her mind.

"Oh Mi'lady I am sorry." A man said. He began to make his way towards her full of apologises. "I thought you were some kind of predator." He explained. He stood in front of her and she looked him up and down, from his short brown hair, to his ragged clothes and boots. Looking back up at him she saw he had big blue eyes that seemed to glow in the light of the fire. She noted to herself that he was quite handsome but she would not show him she thought that.

Instead she kept her face stern and held out the arrow. "I believe _this _is yours."

"Indeed." He said holding out his hands. She dropped it into his hands and her arms immediately crossed over her chest. "I apologise once again for my mistake mi'lady. If it is not to bold of me to say a lady should really not be out alone in the forest."

"It is quite bold of you to say." Regina snapped back. "I am looking for my daughter."

"Your daughter? Perhaps is that young Ellie?" The man asked her.

"Yes, do you know where she is?" Regina asked eagerly.

"Why yes, she is in our camp. She seemed very upset when she arrived so James took her to his tent so she could calm down."

"His tent?" Regina asked raising her eyebrows.

"Do not worry mi'lady nothing will have gone on." He assured her yet she found it hard to believe the man stood in front of her.

"Can you show me to her please? It is a cold night and I would very much like to get my daughter and myself home."

The man nodded and he guided Regina through the camp and over to what she presumed must be James' tent. He motioned for Regina to wait and then ducked into the tent. He soon returned with Ellie and James behind him. Ellie stood facing Regina with her arms crossed over her chest, just like Regina was standing. Both the men stood to the side looking from each woman knowing it probably best not to get in the middle of their fight.

"What the hell do you think you are playing at Ellie?" Regina's voice raised with each word. "I have been everywhere looking for you."

"I didn't ask you to look for me." Ellie snapped back. "Me storming out of the house was kind of a sign that I didn't want to speak to you anymore."

Regina sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Ellie we need to talk about this, properly."

"Talk? You mean you will actually listen to me? Take into account everything I will say." Ellie said raising her eyebrows.

"Yes…" Regina breathed out. She just wanted her daughter back with her. She didn't want her daughter our here with these men. "I will listen to you."

Ellie nodded. "And you will give James a chance? To show you he isn't what you think he is."

"I guess." Regina shrugged hoping that would help to move her daughter along.

"Fine." Ellie then turned to James. "James I will see you tomorrow okay?" She said with a smile. She then stepped forward and placed a soft kiss onto his lips making Regina roll her eyes a little.

"Will I see you again mi'lady?" The man asked turning to Regina. He so wanted to see this woman again. She had captivated him.

"I sincerely doubt it. I am not in the forest often." Regina replied sarcastically. She then turned on her heel and guided Ellie through the forest.

The two men watched after the women. James then nudged the man beside him and laughed a little. "You don't have a thing for my girlfriends mom do you Robin?"

He stared after her until she was not visible to him anymore. Sighing he turned to James. "She was wonderful wasn't she?"

"Robin did we meet the same woman?" James asked.

"I know she seemed a little rude perhaps, sarcastic, cold towards certain people but god she was beautiful. I need to see her again. I want to see her again. And James one thing you should know by now Robin Hood will always do something he wants." Robin smiled to himself with thoughts of Regina in his mind.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am sorry it has been a few days since the last but I have been mega busy with things. Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favourites I really appreciate it and I love reading all your reviews.**


	16. Chapter 16

It had been two days since Ellie had told her mother about herself and James. She and Regina had talked a little more and Regina said she would give James a chance but only because she didn't want Ellie running off with him. Ellie had taken that for now accepting that it might take a while before her mother would actually accept James into their family.

Regina was now walking along the road, her mind whizzing with everything that had been going on. As if it wasn't bad enough that she had Emma Swan to deal with and now she has her daughter's boyfriend. Regina had avoided contact with Emma Swan as much as she could and had tried her level best to keep Henry from seeing her but she knew he saw her. She could see it in his eyes as he rushed in the house late home from school.

It hurt her that he could so easily replace herself with this woman. This woman who gave him up. Did he really think of her as such a monster? Was she really that bad? She turned the corner and bumped right into someone. She huffed and straightened herself up, smoothing down her jacket. Looking up she rolled her eyes as she saw Emma and a very sorry looking Mary-Margaret.

"Oh Regina we're sorry. We didn't see you there." Mary-Margaret apologised hoping there wouldn't be any kind of a scene.

"Well instead of gossiping perhaps you should have been looking where you were going then you might have seen me." Regina huffed. Emma and Mary-Margaret didn't say a word not sure whether they should as they had a feeling whatever they said would probably make Regina's already bad mood worse. Regina stood back and looked at them. "Perhaps can I?" Regina said motioning for them to step out of her way so she could pass them.

"Oh yes sorry." Mary-Margaret apologised again causing Regina to roll her eyes again.

"Regina…hold on a minute." Emma's voice made Regina stop in her tracks. She turned round and gave Emma a glare. She hated to think what Emma would want to talk to her about.

"What?" Regina snapped.

"I want to talk to you about Henry."

"What about Henry?" Regina asked. Emma now had her full attention.

"Just I want to see him. I know you have told him not to see me but well I want to see him and he wants to see me Regina."

Regina nodded and began to step towards Emma a little a glare on her face. "So you haven't been seeing him then?" Regina asked raising her eyebrows. Emma went to speak but Regina held her hand up stopping her. "Don't give me it. I know Henry has been seeing you behind my back. I am not a stupid woman Miss Swan. I know what goes on in this town and you should do well to remember that." Emma went to speak again but then found she didn't really know what to say to Regina. "I will let you see _my _son, but if I get a sniff of anything off between you both then it stops."

Regina then turned on her heel and walked away from Emma and Mary-Margaret not giving either woman a chance to speak to her. She had had enough of them. She had had enough of all of them. She sighed. The curse did not turn out exactly how she had planned. She was suppose to be so happy. But everything seemed to be crumbling around her. She couldn't understand it. She wanted to get rid of Emma Swan but how could she do that?

Maybe she could trick her...find some way to make Henry realise just what she was like. Make Henry see Emma how she saw Emma. Of course it would hurt Henry at first but it would be for his own good, wouldn't it? He would see eventually that she done it to help him. To make him see. But how could he make him see it?

It was then an idea hit her. She knew Emma thought Henry's whole fairytale thing was ridiculous. If she got her to admit that while Henry was around to hear her…it would crush Henry for him to realise Emma did not truly believe him.

So that was her plan. Now all she needed was to get Emma to her office just in time for Henry to come and hear her.

Regina had phoned Emma later on that day, telling her she wanted to talk further about her seeing Henry. Of course Emma had been very happy about this and was more than happy to go to Regina's office to discuss this. Regina had smiled at her when she arrived. She had offered her a seat, she had offered her a drink. She had been polite and nice, in her own way.

Regina then glanced up at the clock, smiling to herself. It was time. "So…Henry and this fairytale stuff…what are your thoughts on it?" Regina asked nonchalantly.

"Well, I don't know." Emma sighed. "It's ridiculous obviously. I mean I don't know how he got to the idea. Everyone being fairytale creatures it just seems mad…" Emma replied. Regina nodded her head trying to hide her smile. She had seen Henry approach she knew he was there, even if he was trying to hide. She didn't want to hurt him but this was the only way. This was the only way she could keep him close to her. She needed him. "Hopefully can help him through it. He needs the help."

"I thought you believed me!" Henry shouted causing Emma to turn round. She gasped as she saw Henry stood there, the hurt in his eyes evident. She then looked round at Regina, her face had not changed, there was no emotion at all. Henry then ran out the room.

"Henry wait!" Emma shouted after him. She then turned round to face Regina once again. "You knew he would be there didn't you?"

"Are you asking if I knew my son would appear at my office at quarter past four on this fine Thursday afternoon so that he and I could go and have dinner at Granny's then yes I did know." Regina replied a small smirk appearing on her face.

"Why? why would you do this? What is your problem?" Emma asked.

"My problem is you Miss Swan." Regina said standing up. "You want to play games with me then by all means play but just so you know I don't play fair. Henry is _my _son Miss Swan and I will do everything it takes to make sure I do not lose him."

"I…I…" Emma started. She then stopped. She could not believe this. She had heard stories of Regina but she didn't really think she was as bad as what people said. But she was beginning to find out just what the mayor was capable of. "If you want to play it that way then fine." Emma said. She then grabbed her coat and marched out of the room.

Regina just watched after her. She hoped this was all she needed to push Emma out of Storybrooke but if it wasn't she was prepared to do what it took to get rid of the woman and get her out of Henry's life.


	17. Chapter 17

Ellie jumped as she heard the front door slam shut. She jumped up from the sofa and went out into the hallway to see Henry running up the stairs. She could tell he was upset so she ran up after him. She followed him into his room and watched as he threw himself down onto his bed. She walked over and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Henry what's wrong? What's happened?" Ellie asked. "Shouldn't you be with mom? At granny's."

"Yea…" Henry mumbled into his pillow.

"Well why are you not there?" Ellie asked.

Henry sat up. "I went to mom's office like always. But as I was about to go in I heard her talking to someone. I recognised the voice right away as Emma's."

"Emma's why would mom have her in her office?" Ellie said frowning.

"I don't know but they were talking about me and the fairy tales and everything and…Emma said she didn't believe me. She said I needed help." Henry said sadly.

Ellie sighed. She pulled Henry into a hug and held onto him tightly. She had a little idea why Emma was in her mother's office talking about Henry at the exact time Henry would show up to go out to dinner with her. She knew her mother was playing games with Emma and she knew it was not going to end well. She pulled away and looked at Henry, looking right into his eyes. "Listen to me Henry you need to talk to Emma. Maybe she was just telling mom what she needed to hear, trying to keep her sweet so that she could see you…"

"No it was nothing like that, she really doesn't believe me."

Ellie nodded and she pulled Henry into another hug. She was going to fix this. This wasn't fair on Henry. She understood why her mother was doing this, she really did. She knew her mother was scared about losing Henry, she knew she was jealous but if she carried on the way she was going she would push Henry away.

Ellie walked into Granny's diner and looked around her, her eyes finally landing on the one person she needed to speak to. She walked over to the young blonde woman. "Is this seat taken?" She asked.

Emma looked up and gave Ellie a confused look. "Eh…no…" She replied.

Ellie sat down and Ruby sauntered over. She took Ellie's order and then as she walked away Ellie looked back at Emma who had not taken her eyes off her. "I am guessing you are probably wondering why I am here, sitting with you when my mother basically hates your guts…"

"I was yes, perhaps not in so many words though." Emma replied.

Ellie nodded. "It's about Henry."

"Oh listen if you are playing the same game as your mother then I don't want to play." Emma said holding her hands up in surrender.

"I don't play the games my mother does." Ellie replied simply. She was about to continue but stopped at Ruby came back over with her drink. She smiled at Ruby as she placed the drink on the table and waited for her to walk away before talking again. "Henry told me what happened…I just want to explain to you what might be going through my mother's head."

"Listen I don't mean to sound rude but your mother is just…evil. What she does is evil!" Emma snapped.

Ellie sighed and rolled her eyes. Everyone always put her mother as evil but they didn't understand why she was the way she was and they never took the time to understand. "You might think that and from what I have heard I don't blame you okay but you needed to understand what is going on in her mind."

"Okay." Emma said.

"When she adopted Henry she was told it would be a closed adoption that you did not want anything to do with him and then here you are out of the blue, Henry goes to find you brings you back here and you are staying here and now wanting to spend time with Henry. She is scared you are going to take him from her. She is jealous because right now you have a closer relationship with him than she does and she is the one who spent ten years raising him. So if she is playing these games with you, can't you understand why?"

"I get that she feels that way but I made it clear that I am not taking Henry away from her, I just want to spend some time with the kid. He seems pretty messed up just now."

"The fairy tale stuff is nothing." Ellie said waving it off. "A phase that is all. You might have said you won't take him away from her but you also said at one point that you wanted nothing to do with Henry and here you are wanting to spend time with him."

Emma sighed. She could see the girls point. "Okay, I get it. But why with the games?"

"It's just what she does. It covers her up, means her real feelings aren't on show. Keeps her looking stronger, more in control. It's like a mask." Ellie said. "Listen I cannot begin to explain my mother to you. It is a complex conversation to have in a diner with everyone probably listening in. But I will give you some advice on the situation."

"And what advice would that be?" Emma asked.

"Do not try and out do her. She will just come at you stronger. She will not give up Henry easily."

"I am not trying to take Henry from her." Emma said for what felt like the tenth time.

"I know you're not but my mother is convinced of it and when she gets something in her head…well it's not leaving her mind easily. Perhaps you should just back off for a bit? A few days. Give her some breathing space. I will try and speak to her. But I am not promising anything. I am not saying I will be able to convince her that you seeing Henry is a good thing." Ellie said.

"And if you don't convince her…what am I to do? Just leave. Because we both know Henry will not be happy with that and he will come and look for me again." Emma leaned across the table a little. "You know that and I know that. She is going to push Henry away from her. She is going to end up losing him all on he own. Why shouldn't I let her just do that?"

"Because you're not the type of person to let someone do that." Ellie replied. "You're the hero right? The saviour. Well so Henry says. So act like it. Leave it for a couple of days. Let her cool down and let me talk to her. If Henry approaches you make some excuse to leave. You need to do this. For Henry's sake Emma."

Emma sighed. She knew Ellie was right. It probably was the best thing she could do and she couldn't just let Regina push Henry away. Ellie was right, she wasn't that type of person. She could tell everything with Henry was hurting Regina. She might have tried hard to hide it but it was clearly visible in her eyes. She was a desperate mother trying to gain her sons love again.

"Okay. I will stay away for a couple of days. If you feel that would help."

"I do." Ellie nodded. "I will come and tell you how it goes. But like I said before I can't promise anything." Ellie then stood up and began to make her way out of the diner with Emma watching her.


	18. Chapter 18

Regina was out walking. Ellie was at home with Henry. She could trust her to look after him. She knew she could. She was walking through the forest, trying to work out her thoughts. She thought about her latest stunt with Emma. Had she been right to do what she had done? Henry had been very upset. He wouldn't talk to her. That wasn't how it was suppose to work out. He was suppose to become closer with her. See Emma for who she really was.

It was then that she realised perhaps what she was trying to show Henry wasn't true. Perhaps her perception of Emma wasn't the real one. All she wanted was her son back. The son that would hug her, kiss her, laugh with her. The son that wanted to be close to her and be in the same room as her. She wanted him back so badly. She didn't know what else to do. She could feel with every day that she was losing him more and more. It killed her inside. It broke her heart and that was the last thing she needed. Her heart to be broken all over again. She had barely fixed it from the last time.

Ellie and Henry had been part of her heart fixing itself. They were the glue that held it together for now. But part of that was crumbling away taking parts of her heart with it and she was beginning to feel that familiar pain.

She jumped a little as she heard the snapping of a twig behind her. She turned round just in time to see an arrow shooting towards her. Her hand flew up catching the arrow just before it hit her. She looked round a little to see a man peering out from behind a tree, a very sorry expression on his face. She herself had her famous scowl that would scare any man, yet not him.

"I am sorry mi'lady." He said holding his hands up in surrender. "I thought perhaps you were something for dinner." He had a cheeky expression on his face that Regina rolled her eyes at.

"Well I am not." She snapped back. She then held the arrow out to him. "I believe this is yours." She let the arrow fall into his open hands.

"Thank you." He replied. "May I ask what a lady such as yourself is doing out alone in these woods at night?"

"No you may not."

Robin raised an eyebrow at her. She was not easy to converse with. Sassy and sarcastic, he liked that. He liked a challenge and with her it definitely was one. He looked her over slightly and he commented to himself just how beautiful he thought she was. Her skin flawless, her hair a dark shade of brown that had a shine to it. Her tiny frame, with curves in all the right places. He was intrigued with her. "How is your daughter?" He asked knowing that would cause some conversation with her.

"She is just fine thank you."

"We haven't seen her around lately." He replied.

"She has been busy. No time for gallivanting with boys." Regina sighed. "She has other commitments that I reminded her she needs to keep on top of."

"A hard ruler I see." He smirked at her facial expression. "James is a nice lad you know…he will not hurt your daughter."

"He better not if he knows what is good for him." She snapped.

Robin's smirk grew. He loved her feistiness. A woman who could look after herself. "Oh believe me he knows."

Regina nodded. She felt awkward. It was not often she socialized outside of when she really had to. She liked to keep herself to herself. Keep to herself and her children. That was all she needed. But for some reason he…well she couldn't explain it. She seemed drawn to him. But she shook it off. She was being stupid. She could not be drawn to someone like him. No, that just wouldn't do. "Well I must be going." Regina said pushing past him.

"Really so soon?" He asked making her stop in her tracks.

She turned round raising an eyebrow at him. "Pardon me?"

"We only just started talking." Robin smiled.

"Yes through circumstances that nearly got me hurt and you in a lot of trouble." She replied to him causing a cheeky sort of smile that she could feel her heart flutter with. She shook the feeling away. "So perhaps we should leave it there."

"That seems silly to me." He said stepping forward and placing his hand on her arm before she could walk away again. "I don't see you around much…I know you are mayor and most probably busy with running the town but you must have time to get out…"

"I have two children at home."

"One is very much grown up."

"Does not mean I do not need to look after her." She replied back.

"Oh from what I have seen Ellie is just like her mother, quite capable of looking after herself." Robin said.

Regina nodded. She wasn't sure what was going on. She wanted to leave, she was sure that was what she wanted. But he wouldn't let her, her body wouldn't let her. She willed her legs to move but they just wouldn't. "I really must…"

He interrupted her. She hated being interrupted. "Dinner?" He asked. She frowned. Was he really asking her out for dinner.

"Dinner?" She repeated.

"Yes you know that meal that comes after breakfast and lunch?" He replied back sarcastically causing a slight smile on her face. "Me and you tomorrow night?"

"You want to go out for dinner…with me?" She asked making sure she was hearing him right. This was not a usual thing for her. She hadn't really had much contact with the other towns people, well unless you counted her nights with Sheriff Graham. But she had stopped them for now.

"Yes I do. So?" He said once again eager for an answer.

"Well…I suppose…" She stuttered.

"Fantastic." He replied happily. "I will come pick you up at seven." He then let go of her arm and she began to feel that her legs would let her move.

She began to walk away and nodded. "Okay." She said quietly. She tried to take it what had just happened. She knew exactly who that man was. Robin Hood, the thief yet she had just agreed to go out for dinner with him. Was she going mad? Was she losing her mind? She had no idea. All she knew was she got a strange feeling from him. A good feeling but a strange one.

She got home and was met with Ellie who was stood just a few steps from the front door, her arms crossed against her chest. Regina gave her a little smile as she took her coat off and hung it on the coat stand by the door.

"Where have you been?" Ellie asked.

"Just out walking, in the forest. I needed some air." Regina sighed. She decided not to tell her daughter about Robin Hood and what she would be doing tomorrow night. She would keep that to herself for now.

"Why? Because of what happened with Emma and Henry?" Ellie asked.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "How do you…" She started.

"Henry told me what happened. Mother how could you do that?" Ellie said trying to keep her voice low. Henry had not long gone to bed. She didn't want him to wake up.

"I don't trust her." Regina shrugged walking past Ellie and through into the living room. Ellie followed her and watched as Regina sat down on the sofa leaning against the back.

"Mom she is not going to take Henry away from you. How many times does she need to say it? She just wants to spend some time with him. Get to know him I guess. You cannot blame her for being curious about him. She did give birth to him." Ellie said.

"She may have given birth to him." Regina said sitting up. "But I am the one who raised him for ten years. I am the one who dried his tears at night and comforted him when he had a nightmare. I am the one who cared for him when he was sick. I am the one who has looked after him. She gave him up." Regina could feel the anger rising in her. She stood up and began to pace the room. She hated all of this. She hated feeling this scared that she would lose him.

"I know that mom. I of all people know that. I also know that you are doing all of this because you are scared. I know you will not admit it but I know you, better than anyone." Ellie said as she walked closer to Regina. "But if you continue on with what you are doing you are going to push Henry away mom. You will make him move closer to Emma. And then she will take him away." Ellie placed a hand on Regina's arm and looked up into her big brown eyes, tears brimming in them. "I know you don't want to lose him, I know you hate how he seems so much closer to Emma than he is to you. But it is all because of that book. He has cottoned on to what has happened mom. He knows our secret and you know what it might be a good thing."

"How is it a good thing?" Regina frowned.

"Because maybe Emma breaking the curse would be good. I mean have you truly been happy mom? Has this curse given you everything you could have hoped for? Did it give you everything you were promised?" Ellie asked.

Regina shook her head. She wiped her eyes a little trying to stop the tears from falling. She would only let her daughter see her like this. She would only let her see her this weak. "No…but once the curse is broken everyone will know what I done. They will not be happy about it."

"We can cross that bridge when it comes to that mom."

"So you think Emma will break the curse?" Regina asked.

Ellie nodded. "I don't know how she will do it, and I do not know when but I think she will do it mom. I think it is time it happens. Just know I will not let anyone harm you in any way if they try to when the curse is broken. I will stand by you mom. I love you."

Regina smiled and she wrapped her arms round her daughter. "I love you to."


	19. Chapter 19

The night had arrived. Henry was out with Emma, he had not told Regina this in so many words but she could see through what he had told her. She had not argued it with him, she had just let him go. Ellie was out with James and she, well she was trying to get ready for her dinner with Robin. She had gone through many of her outfits, deciding that nothing was going to work. She didn't know why a dinner with that man had got her like this. So stressed. She shuffled through her wardrobe once again. She looked through all her black dresses. She loved black, she felt she could hide behind it but she decided perhaps it was not the best colour to wear tonight.

Her eyes then landed on a plum dress. She pulled it out and looked at it. The dress would go down to her knees and had a small slit up on side that would show off a little more of her leg. It was sleeveless, smart, but casual and classy. She nodded deciding this would be perfect. She slipped her robe off and pulled it on her. Looking in her mirror she smoothed the material of the dress over her body. She then turned round and looked through her shoes quickly deciding on a pair of leather pointed high heeled court shoes that she knew would set off her outfit.

Putting them on she quickly walked out of her walk-in wardrobe and over to her vanity table. Applying some simple make up and running her fingers through her shoulder length brown hair and looked at her appearance. She looked okay. She was nervous and she could see it in her own eyes. It had been a long time since a man had taken her out. She thought that really it she hadn't been taken out by a man since Daniel. Yes the king had taken her places but only because he had to, because she was his wife.

The door bell rang and she took a deep breath. Standing up and took one last look at herself in the floor length mirror before turning round grabbing her coat and bag and quickly exiting the room and making her way down stairs. She pulled on her coat as she opened the front door to see a smiling Robin.

"Hello mi'lady." He greeted.

Regina smiled at him. As she looked him up and down she couldn't deny that she thought he was handsome. Wearing a pair of smart looking trousers and a white shirt that she supposed looked smart for the kind of man he was. His short sandy brown hair in its usual messy fashion but she supposed he could not really do much with his hair and his eyes, his sparkling blue eyes just looking at her. Yes she definitely could not deny it, he was handsome. She couldn't quite believe she was doing this. This was quite out of character for herself.

She walked out of her house and closed the door. Locking it and then turning round to come face to face with him. They stared at one another for just a minute, taking each other in. Regna then coughed a little and looked away. "So where are we going?" She asked walking around him and beginning to make her way down her footpath that led away from her house.

He quickly followed her and somehow sneaked in front of her. He opened the gate and stood to the side and motioned for her to walk out first. She nodded with a smile and did so. He then followed and closed the gate behind him. He then addressed her question. "Well it's a surprise."

"A surprise?" Regina cringed a little. She hated surprises.

"Yes, that is alright with you isn't it?" He asked.

"Well I am not really fond of surprises." She replied.

Robin chuckled a little. "Well for tonight you will just have to be mi'lady."

They walked for a little bit, mostly in silence as Regina had no idea what to say. Robin started a few conversations but they quickly ended. He then stopped and Regina not noticing bumped right into him. "Sorry." She said quickly. He just smiled at her.

He then took her hands making her frown at the contact. "I need you to close your eyes."

"Why?" Regina asked.

"It adds to the whole surprise idea." Regina sighed and hesitated for a moment. "Trust me." He said. His words hit her like a boulder as she realised even though she didn't really know him she did trust him. So she closed her eyes and she did not see the smile on his face. She let him lead her by the hands putting her trust in him.

Robin then stopped as he weighed up the situation. As he looked at the shoes she was wearing he knew they were not good shoes to be wearing where they were. He guessed they would probably be very expensive. He quickly made a decision and dropped her hands. Regina felt the loss of contact.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" She asked.

"No, not yet mi'lady." He replied. He then leaned down a little and scooped her up in his arms making her squeal but she kept her eyes tightly closed. Her arms found their way round his neck and she held on tightly.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I need to carry you for this part. Your shoes will be no good where we are." Robin said.

"Well if I knew where we were going I could have perhaps prepared better." Regina shot back.

"True."

Robin carried her for a little bit enjoying having her in his arms. He liked her being close to him. he didn't know why. After all he didn't really know the woman he was carrying. But he liked her. He knew that. Regina on the other hand was using her other senses to try and figure out where they were and from what she heard she had a feeling where they were. She then felt Robin stop and she asked again…

"Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Yes you can open your eyes now." Robin replied.

Regina opened her eyes and gasped as she saw what he had done. There on the sand of the beach rested a blanket with a tent of sorts over it that was lit up with fairy lights. There was food set up on the blanket and Regina had spotted a bottle of wine and two glasses. She looked at Robin who she noted still had her in his arms.

"Do you like it mi'lady?" He asked.

"I do." Regina said. "It's lovely Robin." She said realising she was sure that was the first time she actually had said his name. She then shuffled a little awkwardly in his arms. "Perhaps you could put me down now? I am sure I will be fine."

"What in those shoes?" Robin asked nodding towards her feet. "I don't think so. Those look expensive and I don't want the blame if they get ruined." Regina laughed a little. It was the first time he had heard her laugh and he loved the sound as soon as he heard it. She sounded so carefree, not like she normally did. "I shall carry you to the blanket."

So he did. He carried her over and then knelt down and placed her on the blanket so that she was sitting down. She thanked him and smoothed down her dress. He then walked over to the other side of the blanket and sat himself down. He handed her a plate of food and then went to work on the wine. Regina gazed out at the open ocean. She closed her eyes again and took it all in, the smell, the sounds, the breeze hitting her face. It was all just so…lovely. She couldn't think of another word. She felt him nudge her and she opened her and saw he was holding out a glass of wine. She placed her plate down on the blanket and took the wine. She took a sip welcoming the red liquid. She then glanced over to Robin, noticing he was staring at her.

"What? What is it?" She asked tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Nothing, I just…I can't quite believe you agreed to a date with me." He said. When she had said yes the day before his heart had skipped a beat. He expected more of a fight, more of a challenge to get her to go out with him. But instead it had been easy. She had said yes and he wondered why she had agreed so easily.

"I was surprised myself." She admitted. "I don't usually…"

"Don't usually what?" He pressed.

"I don't usually socialize much with others. I'm not really sure if I really know how, does that make sense?" She didn't know why she as opening up to this man so much. She barely knew him, yet she felt as if she had known him for years. Like she could trust him. "It probably doesn't."

"No, no. I understand." Robin smiled.

"I just, I guess when I was younger I was an only child and my mother she was strict. I was home schooled. So there was not really anyone else around bar my mother and father and our maid." Regina sighed. "And as I grew up my mother continued on with her strict rules, continuing to teach me how to be a proper lady." Regina rolled her eyes at the memories which Robin couldn't help but chuckle at, although it made him sad to see the sadness in her eyes. "I guess I just haven't had much experience of being around people and socializing. I mean I went to parties that my mother and father were invited to and everything but I just always felt alone in a room filled to the brim of people."

He nodded. He had heard stories of her. People weren't sure of her, but had they really taken the time to get to know her. He thought that answer was probably not. If they had they might realise why she was perhaps hostile towards them, why she perhaps didn't feel comfortable around them and snapped back at them. They might understand her.

"Maybe I am just using that as an excuse. As mayor I should really get over all that and get on with it." Regina said bringing Robin out of his thoughts. "I should feel more comfortable around the people in this town."

"You can't help how you feel Regina. Things that happen in the past can stop us from progressing on in the future. Sometimes it can make us go down a path we later regret. But you just have to take each day as it comes and figure out who you really want to be, what kind of person you want to be." He replied.

Regina just stared into his big blue sparkling orbs and felt herself getting lost. She knew what kind of person she wanted to be but surely it was too late for her. She had done so many bad things, caused so much pain to others, how could she come back from that? How could she have happiness after everything she had done? She didn't deserve it. "What if you had caused so much sadness to others? What if you had made so many people miserable? Surely you wouldn't deserve to be happy."

"Everyone deserves a second chance Regina." Robin said his hand on top of hers. Regina could feel her the tears in her eyes but she swallowed them back. She didn't want him to see her cry. "Everyone deserves a happy ending."

"I'm not so sure I could ever have one." Regina said in a mere whisper.

"You will mi'lady. You just have to believe." He said. This made her smile. He seemed to have a way of making her feel better. He had a way of making her let her walls down and open up to him. He had a way of making her feel safe. They had only really just met yet he had her heart.


End file.
